Fifteenth+Welsh+2

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The Fifteenth Amendment

By: Olivia, Briana, and Ali


 * What does it say?**This Amendment says the right to vote citizens of the United States should not be denied or abridged because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.(slavery) Section 2 says that the Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.It's main purpose was to allow blacks to vote.


 * Facts:**
 * Proposed: February 26, 1869
 * Ratified:February 3, 1870

It doesnt mention anything about gender- this amendment was made before women had the right to vote, so this amendment was referring to men only.
 * What doesn't this metion?**


 * What was going on around the time the amendment was proposed/ratified**? [[image:http://homepage.mac.com/catservants/iblog/C2042420000/E20061001222526/Media/Ballot%20box%20drawing%20259X262.jpg width="193" height="222" align="right"]]
 * The Civil War had just ended


 * Problems and loopholes:**

Even though the amendment was ratified in 1870 it wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that it was fully realized for a number of reasons- poll taxes which many couldn't afford, and literacy tests which were unfairly graded.


 * How this amendment still affects us today:**
 * [[image:http://www.nationalclergycouncil.org/images/Barack%20Obama%20Official%20small.jpg width="155" height="181" align="left"]] Because of this amendment American citizens of all colors, and races can vote.
 * This amendment has opened doors for other things too: Today we have a presidential candidate- Barrack Obama, who could become the first African American President.

Olivia Title: Voter ID Rules a Hot Button Issue
here's the link to the article:
 * Summary:**This article relates to the fifteenth amendment because it talks about how the legislation is asking some people for photo ID's at the voting polls . it denies immigrants the right to vote unless they have an ID. It is a problem and is discriminating to the poor and immigrants because many cannot afford ID's therefore can't vote. Some states are now making laws and issuing free id's to prevent this problem.
 * Opinion:**In my opinion, it's unfair that they have to show ID's because if they for some reason don't have one they can't vote, and don't get a say in their goverment. I think a citizen should be able to take part in voting without an ID and that only allowing someone to vote if they have one is going against their 15th amendment right.

**__//Ali:Title: shoud every vote count?//__**

 * Summary:** Nearly 1.4 million black men have no polititical voice. The struggle for voting rights has been a long problem in black community. 1.4 million african american men have lost the rights to vote as a result of felony convicitions a rate nearly seven times higher than all u.s.felons. Tubb jones says many blacks are still being unfairly denied the right to vote because they're ex-offenders.

i think people shoud be same as others. in my opinion every vote shoud count and all of the people( black or white) shoud have the freedom to vote to select their leader.
 * Opinion:**

Briana: Title: Voter ID card just another Barrier
Summary:This article is about how a voter ID card would have it's ups and downs and also about how we can make the voting processs easier. Having Voter ID's would cost money and that would raise problems for people of color, low income, and the elderly. Having voter ID's would also benifit because it come make the process easier the card would include a drivers license a photo and a digital signature. This uprising argument is just making the voting process harder to deal with! In the article it also states that th commision had made 87 recommendations that would improve the process some were...
 * That databases should be connected through the states so that you would only have to register once.
 * The elections should be administered on a non partisan basis meaning that the elections wouldn't be supported by political parties.
 * You should get a voting reciept from the systems to verify everything.
 * These recommendations may be debated and can help or just make matters worse with our countrys voting process!

Links- [|video] [|Olivia's current event] [|Briana's current event]



"First Black Vote" by: A. R. Waud


 * ~ State ||~ ID Requirement ||~ Law Currently in Force? ||~ Related Cases ||~ Status of Case ||~ Notes ||
 * Ohio || Non-photo ID acceptable || Yes || //[|//NEOCH v. Blackwell//]// || In settlement || Consent order reached for November 2006 General Election only. Absentee ID requirements suspended by consent. In-precinct ID requirements intact but clarified slightly. See [|//Consent Order//], //[|KLBNA v. Blackwell.]// Case currently in settlement. ||
 * Michigan || Photo ID or Affidavit acceptable || Yes || [|//In Re Request for Advisory Opinion Regarding Constitutionality of 2005 PA 71//] || Concluded || Voter ID requirement approved 7/18/07. See [|//Opinion//]. ||
 * Georgia || Photo ID required for in-person voting || Yes || //[|Lake v. Perdue] ; [|Common Cause/Georgia v. Billups]// || In appeal || State court action was dismissed by state Supreme Court (see [|//Order//]). Federal court initially suspended requirements for November, 2006, general election (see [|//Order//]), but subsequently dismissed the case and allowed the ID requirement to go into effect (see [|//Order//]). Plaintiffs appealed to the 11th Circuit. ||
 * Arizona || 1 Photo or 2 Non-photo IDs acceptable; Proof of Citizenship required to register || Yes || //[|Gonzalez v. Arizona/Navajo Nation v. Brewer]// || Litigation pending || U.S. S.Ct. overturned Ninth Circuit order blocking enforcement of law; 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed denial of injunctive relief. Case continues to be litigated at trial level. ||
 * New Mexico || Photo ID required in Albuquerque only || No || [|//ACLU of New Mexico v. Chavez//] || In appeal || Trial court struck down ID provision ([|//Order//]). Defendants appealed to the 10th Circuit. ||
 * Indiana || Photo ID || Yes || //[|Indiana Democratic Party v. Rokita]// || Before U.S. Supreme Court || Oral argument held in 7th Circuit 10/18/06 [|(audio recording]). On 1/4, the Circuit Court [|upheld] the ID requirements and denied request for rehearing en banc. Plaintiffs appealed and Supreme Court granted certiorari on 9/25/07. ||
 * Missouri || Photo ID || No || //[|Jackson County v. Missouri; Weinshenk v. Missouri]// || Concluded || State trial court declared ID requirement unconstitutional on 9/14/06 ([|//Judgment//]). Missouri Supreme Court [|affirmed]. Related federal case //[|NAACP v. Carnahan]// was stayed pending resolution of state case and never litigated to conclusion. ||

[|See graphs here]


 * "VOTER ID....**The State of Indiana has the most stringent voter ID laws in the country. Democrats are always griping about this, and have even gone so far as to challenge Indiana's law in the Supreme Court. But this is just silly. In this day and age everyone has a photo ID anyway, so what's the problem?"- Kevin Drum (Washington Weekly)